Abstract

Nuclear DNA content in 31 cases of thyroid neoplasm was determined by flow cytometry with the use of paraffin-embedded archival tissue. DNA aneuploidy was found in 6 cases (19.4%) of the 31 thyroid neoplasms; such as 2 of 8 (DI=1.16, 1.56) follicular adenomas, 1 of 6 (DI=1.10) follicular carcinomas, 1 of 15 (DI=1.18) papillary carcinomas and 2 of 2 (DI=1.76, 2.07) medullary carcinomas. The remaining tumors were diploid. No significant difference between follicular adenomas and carcinomas was detected with respect to the S phase fraction(SPF). In the papillary carcinoma group the SPF was higher than in the follicular neoplasm group, but it was statistically insignificant. Regional lymph node metastasis was present in 8 of 15( 53.3%) papillary carcinomas but absent in all of the 14 follicular neoplasms. In the medullary carcinoma group one case showed regional node metastasis at the time of resection and the other developed metastasis 11 months after surgical removal of the primary lesion. In this study tumors predominantly composed of Hurthle cells were found to have a significantly higher D.I. than those with few or no Hurthle cells. No significant difference was found between tumors with metastasis and those without metastasis.

• Keywords: Flow cytometry;Thyroid neoplasm;D.I.;SPF